Rotatable grooved light-conducting rod for program control

ABSTRACT

A program control system comprising a glass or plexiglas rod illuminated at one end and having circumferential grooves which appear luminous due to the light rays within the rod. A selected portion of each groove is blackened or otherwise rendered opaque so that a selected area only remains luminous. A photoelectric cell is actuated by the luminous portion of each groove in sequence as the rod rotates and is connected to actuate a selected function in the program.

9 ime I XR 396101941 l Inventor Erich West [561 References CitedMississauga Canada UNITED STATES PATENTS 1. N 0 741 Q; i 29 19702,506,672 5/1950 Kell et al 350/96X 3,060,319 10/1962 Greunke 250/227 xPatented Oct. 5, 1971 Assignee Pea body Engineering Corporation f3,237,012 2/1966 Treffe1sen 250/231 X 3,457,424 7/1969 Jordan et a1.250/227 Canada Ltd. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada OTHER REFERENCESROTATABLE GROOVED LlGHT-CONDlllCTlNG ROD FOR PROGRAM CONTROL 6 Claims, 2Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 250/227, 250/219 DD, 350/96 Int. CL G02b 5/14 Field of Search250/219 DD, 227, 231 SE; 350/96 R Litz: IBM Technical DisclosureBulletin, V01. 1', No. 1; pp. 27, 28;.lune, 1958. 250/219 PrimaryExaminer-Walter Stolwein AttorneyNathaniel L. Leek ABSTRACT: A programcontrol system comprising a glass or plexiglas rod illuminated at oneend and having circumferential grooves which appear luminous due to thelight rays within the rod. A selected portion of each groove isblackened or otherwise rendered opaque so that a selected area onlyremains luminous. A photoelectric cell is actuated by the luminousportion of each groove in sequence as the rod rotates and is connectedto actuate a selected function in the pro gram.

PATENTED 0m 5 |97| FIG.

FIG.

' INVENTOR. ERICH WEST ft. m

ATTORNEY ROTATABLE GROOVED LIGHT-CONDUCTING ROD I FOR PROGRAM CONTROLThis invention relates to a program device which is adapted to control aseries of programmed functions in a timed sequence.

An object is to provide a device of the above type in which the timingof the steps and the sequence can be readily adjusted.

Another object is to provide such a device which is capable of operatingfor long periods of time without service or adjustment.

Another object is to provide a device of the above type which areapplicable to various uses and for controlling various types ofapparatus.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature ofthe invention is more fully disclosed.

In one embodiment the invention utilizes a rod of glass or plexiglas ofthe type which conducts light internally by internal reflection from oneend to the other and appears dark on its cylindrical surface exceptwhere the otherwise smooth surface is interrupted by a scratch orgroove. The rod is mounted for rotation by a motor at a controlled speedand is provided with a series of circumferential grooves a selected areaof which is rendered opaque. A photoelectric cell registers with eachgroove and is energized when registering with the nonopaque portion ofthe respective grooves as the rod rotates. Thus each cell is energizedin a predetermined controlled sequence and may be connected to control aprogram function..

The nature of the invention will be better understood from the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in whicha specific example has been set forth for purposes of illustration. inthe drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying the invention withparts broken away for clarity and FIG. 2 is a transverse section takenalong the line 22 of HO. 1.

Referring to the drawing more in detail the invention is shown asembodied in a rod of a glass having the property above described whichis mounted at one end of a shaft 11, journaled in a bracket 12 anddriven by a motor 13 through a gear reduction device 14. The motor 13 ispreferably of the .direct current type having a speed which variesaccording to the voltage of the driving circuit so that the speed ofthemotor and the rod 10 can be varied over a comparatively wide range.At its free end the rod 10 is mounted in rollers 15 carried on a bracket16 and is formed with an end recess 17 adapted to receive a light source18 which is also mounted in the bracket 16.

The rod 10 is provided with a series of circumferential grooves 20 atleast some of which are rendered opaque over a portion 21 of their areasleaving portions 22 which are illuminated by the light source 18.

A series of photoelectric cells 25 are mounted in transverse slots 26 ina base member 27 which also supports the brackets 12 and 16. The cells25 register with the respective grooves 20 in the rod 10 and arecentered with respect to the rod by ad justment in the slots 26. Thecells 25 are energized in a controlled sequence by the luminous portions22 of the respective grooves 20 as the rod rotates.

Each of the cells 25 may be connected through suitable relays which maybe of the transistor type to control a program function.

The motor 13 may be of the direct current type and is indicatedassupplied with voltages V V and V: by lines 30, 31

and 32 through relays 33, 34 and 35 respectively, these relays may beconnected to be actuated by certain of said cells 25 when energized byluminous portions 22 of said groove 20 so that the speed of the motor isvaried in the different positions of the rod as it rotates.

The motor may be connected to produce one complete revolution of the rod10 or to stop and reset the rod when interrupted or to operate insequential steps according to the particular use to which the device isapplied.

What is claimed is:

1. A program control apparatus comprising a rod composed of a materialwhich transmits light longitudinally by internal reflection and appearsdark along its longitudinal surface except in areas where thelongitudinal surface is grooved, means mounting said rod for rotation, alight source disposed to supply light to said rod at one end thereof,said rod having a series of axially spaced circumferential grooves eachof which is adapted to appear luminous over a predetermined area, aphotoelectic cell registering with each of said grooves to be energizedby the luminous area thereof in a predetermined sequence as the rodrotates.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said grooves are annularand are covered in part by an opaque substance so that the remainingportion only of said groove appears luminous.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said rod is pro vided withan end recess and a light source is disposed in said recess.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the luminous portions ofsuccessive grooves are displaced peripherally around said rod wherebysaid cells are successively energized as said rod is rotated.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which a variable speed motor isconnected to rotate said rod.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which certain of said cells areconnected to control the speed of said motor whereby the speed ofrotation is automatically varied in different positions of said rod.

1. A program control apparatus comprising a rod composed of a materialwhich transmits light longitudinally by internal reflection and appearsdark along its longitudinal surface except in areas where thelongitudinal surface is grooved, means mounting said rod for rotation, alight source disposed to supply light to said rod at one end thereof,said rod having a series of axially spaced circumferential grooves eachof which is adapted to appear luminous over a predetermined area, aphotoelectic cell registering with each of said grooves to be energizedby the luminous area thereof in a predetermined sequence as the rodrotates.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said grooves areannular and are covered in part by an opaque substance so that theremaining portion only of said groove appears luminous.
 3. Apparatus asset forth in claim 1 in which said rod is provided with an end recessand a light source is disposed in said recess.
 4. Apparatus as set forthin claim 1 in which the luminous portions of successive grooves aredisplaced peripherally around said rod whereby said cells aresuccessively energized as said rod is rotated.
 5. Apparatus as set forthin claim 1 in which a variable speed motor is connected to rotate saidrod.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which certain of said cellsare connected to control the speed of said motor whereby the speed ofrotation is automatically varied in different positions of said rod.